Mourning Poem for the Queen of Sunday by Robert Hayden
‘Mourning Poem for the Queen of Sunday’ by Robert Hayden explores the death of a gospel singer who was loved by all, including God. She passed away in a surprising way that made the angels weep.
Visits to St. Elizabeths by Elizabeth Bishop
‘Visits to St. Elizabeths’ by Elizabeth Bishop depicts the late Ezra Pound in a mental institution. The poet was inspired by the structure of children’s nursery rhymes in her composition of the text.
Digging by Donald Hall
‘Digging’ by Donald Hall is a thoughtful poem about transformation and nature. The poet leans on images from nature, like a seed growing into a flower, to describe one person’s transformation.
A Different Image by Dudley Randall
‘A Different Image’ by Dudley Randall is an impactful, short poem that speaks about the contemporary world and a future without racism.
10 of the Best Poems About Marriage
Marriage is a topic that has been of poetic interest for centuries. On this list are a few of the best poems that discuss the pros and cons of marriage.
Frederick Douglass by Robert Hayden
‘Frederick Douglass’ by Robert Hayden honors Douglass and speaks about a future in which all people, according to Douglass’ ideas of love and logic, will be treated equally without question.
From My Window by C.K. Williams
‘From My Window’ by C.K. Williams is a memorable poem about human suffering. It contrasts the difficulties two homeless men face with the speaker’s relative safety behind the glass of his window.
The Penitent by Anne Brontë
‘The Penitent’ by Anne Brontë is a religious poem about repentant souls. The poem portrays its subject’s pursuit of salvation while encouraging them to hold onto their newfound faith.
Jazz Fantasia by Carl Sandburg
In ‘Jazz Fantasia’ Carl Sandburg conveys his feelings about the rise of jazz music and Black culture in America.
Despondency by Anne Brontë
‘Despondency’ by Anne Brontë is a spiritual poem about rekindling one’s passion for God. The poem hinges on the speaker’s self-reflection and the emotions it stirs in them.
90 North by Randall Jarrell
’90 North’ by Randall Jarrell is concerned with dreams, aging, and the truth of success. The poet’s speaker realizes that success means nothing and that after achieving everything he wanted, his life is worthless.
Touch Me by Stanley Kunitz
‘Touch Me’ by Stanley Kunitz is a moving poem about aging, the loss of identity, and desire. It explores what keeps people, and creatures of all varieties, going as they enter the final “season” of their life.
The Freaks at Spurgin Road Field by Richard Hugo
‘The Freaks at Spurgin Road Field’ by Richard Hugo describes how everyone is at risk from going along with a group’s actions and not thinking for themselves.
Virgil by Giusue Carducci
“The nightingale pours forth her secret boon,
Whose strains the lonely traveler accost”
Gathering the Bones Together by Gregory Orr
The poem ‘Gathering the Bones Together’ describes the grief and trauma that Gregory Orr had to go through after accidentally killing his younger brother.
10 of the Best Dad Poems from a Daughter
On this list are ten of the best poems to share with a dad from a daughter’s perspective. These ten poems show love, gratitude, and appreciation for everything a father does that often goes unnoticed.
Effort at Speech Between Two People by Muriel Rukeyser
‘Effort at Speech Between Two People’ by Muriel Rukeyser explores communication. The seven stanzas feature a conversation between two people struggling to get to know one another.
Two Scavengers in a Truck, Two Beautiful People in a Mercedes by Lawrence Ferlinghetti
‘Two Scavengers in a Truck, Two Beautiful People in a Mercedes’ by Lawrence Ferlinghetti explores wealth and class differences in the United States.
The Lyric in a Time of War by Eloise Klein Healy
‘The Lyric in a Time of War’ by Eloise Klein Healy is a poem about war, writing, and artistic cconnection throughout time. The poem is dedicated to how writing can create a connection between two people over time and space.
A Child is Something Else Again by Yehuda Amichai
‘A Child is Something Else Again’ by Yehuda Amichai is a poem about parenthood and childhood. A child represents a great deal, the speaker says, and provides a parent with the will to live.
Only a Dad by Edgar Albert Guest
‘Only a Dad’ by Edgar Albert Guest is dedicated to the poet’s father. The poem describes the man’s willingness to self-sacrifice and do whatever he can to make his children happy.
10 of the Best Christian Poems
Christian poems date back centuries and can be found in a wide variety of styles. Poets as different as Maya Angelou and Robert Herrick have penned the best Christian poems
The Yachts by William Carlos Williams
‘The Yachts’ by William Carlos Williams depicts the winners, or yacht-owners, in the capitalist system and the losers, or the poor, who are drowning in the waters around the boats.
Pour l’amour de ma doulce amye
‘Pour l’amour de ma doulce amye’ or ‘For the love of my sweet lady,’ is a French lyric composed in the 15th century. It is dedicated to a woman the writer loved.
Who in One Lifetime by Muriel Rukeyser
‘Who in One Lifetime’ by Muriel Rukeyser is a poem about resistance in the face of war and suffering. The speaker asserts that a woman referred to only as “she” is standing strong despite what she’s seen.
A Divine Image by William Blake
Although prepared and etched for publication, William Blake dropped ‘A Divine Image’ from Songs of Innocence and Experience in favor of ‘The Human Abstract.’ This poem comes from Songs of Experience and was intended to be the counterpart to ‘The Divine Image.’
Peter Quince at the Clavier by Wallace Stevens
‘Peter Quince at the Clavier’ by Wallace Stevens is a musical depiction of the story of Susanna and the Elders from the Book of Daniel. It describes the “feeling” of “music” and the nature of beauty.
10 of the Best Rumi Poems
Rumi, born Jalāl al-Dīn Muḥammad Rūmī, was a Persian poet, Sufi mystic, and scholar. Today, he is regarded as one of the most important poets in Persian history.
